A host key needs to be generated for the ssl server to run... In a business environment you'd probably also want ito be signed by a third party certificate authority, such as versign or thawte.

Doing it...

This assumes you're sitting there with mod_ssl applied to apache and apache built (but not installed)

We're makeing a self-signed certificate so we can get this webserver up.

from the apache_1.3.24 directory do:

make certificate TYPE=custom
Select RSA
Enter your country code
Enter State/county or province
Enter a locality
Enter your organization
Enter the Unit/Group
Common name
Email address
Enter the length of time the certificate should be valid (days)
Select ssl3
Enter a country code
Enter a state
Enter a Locality
Enter an organization
Enter your common name
Enter your mail address
Enter the length of time the certificate should be valid (days)
Select certficate version 3
Say Y encrypt the private key
enter a password
Say Y to encrypt private key
Enter a password

certificate is now done

then do make install

now we can start our ssl enabled apache server by doing /usr/local/apache/bin/apachectl startssl